cccx mtb #1 1-26-13
I did the cccx mtb race on my cyclo cross bike. I haven't ridin the mtb in months and I had a cross race the next day so I went with the cross bike. I don't think I did a very good warm up I think I should have made it a bit harder and consistent. I had to wait at the start line for about 10 minutes so everyone lost the warm up and cooled down anyways. They started us on the road for about a quarter mile before we turned onto the dirt and there was a head wind on the road. I started with the 15-18s behind the pros and 19-34s in the second row. At the start everyone was riding in a group and I was feeling pretty good sitting mid pack. So I attacked on the road and got a big lead about 20-30 meters. Then a few people passed me on the dirt. When Tom and Alec (Alec was the kid who got third) caught up to me a few minutes later I started to ride with them. When I was riding with them I was feeling good. I was going at my tempo to endurance pace. On the bumpy descents they would open up a gap but I could close it on the straight aways with a little effort. We were riding together for the first 2.5-3 laps. I told Tom he should attack and I would ride with Alec and Andrew (Andrew was a 19-34 racer we caught up to he was fast on the descents but was having trouble on the climbs) and slow them down so he could get a lead. But Tom got dropped I tried to pace him back but he was done. So I attacked with 2 laps to go on the short road section with a climb afterwords were I would be strongest. I felt pretty strong on the road section and open upped a big lead on them. Then I started riding at my race pace for 2 laps. I would go pretty hard on the climbs and easy on the descents to recover and be fresh for the next climb. I opened up a 2 minute gap on Alec and a 5 minute gap on Tom in the last 2 laps.